ISTC researchers recently met with representatives of Enerfex and UBE to explore a joint partnership to develop Enerfex’s breakthrough carbon capture technology.
Enerfex, a small U.S. company based in Vermont, has been engaged in the development of energy related technologies since 1991. Most recently, they have focused on technologies to manage carbon emissions from large point sources. The company has developed a new approach for capturing carbon from natural Gas (NG) Combined Cycle power plants (NGCCs).
UBE, a Japanese chemical company, that produces membranes, is being evaluated as a partner in the development and deployment of the Enerfex process.
Due to the the low price of NG in the US, NGCCs are becoming more prevalent generators of electricity in the United States. NGCCs are also being used to back-up solar and wind farms by providing electricity when the sun does not shine and the wind does not blow. NGCCs are a critical piece of the transition to a grid that has high percentage of renewables. The carbon dioxide that is generated when natural gas burns is a valuable commodity if it can be captured and reused.